dibateg Posted June 25, 2019 Author Share Posted June 25, 2019 I've not been away from the workbench all the time, but some of the work was not worth reporting and I've not had a lot of time to spend posting. I'm on with a new project, a JLTRT Grange, originally a Mitchell kit and now sold by Laurie Lynch of MM1 models. For various reasons I've started with the tender. It's pretty well the original Mitchell instructions, so you need to know your way around a GW tender.. I've not cleaned up yet, but this time I didn't bother with the vac cylinder. The main point to take note is that the brake cross shaft is not the full width of the steps - there seems to be a minor error with the design. That is easily rectified, by re-mounting the 'outriggers' at the outside frame width. Anyway it is reasonably close to how it should be. The outer frames - I drill dimples out and replace them with 0.8mm wire to represent the axlebox keeper bolts. A cut out is required at the rear of the frames to allow space for the buffer head bolts. With the inner and outer frames together the correct width of the cross shaft can be seen. I'll need to make some support webs to go behind the steps. 5 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dibateg Posted June 26, 2019 Author Share Posted June 26, 2019 This is a useful reference:- Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Prism Posted June 26, 2019 Share Posted June 26, 2019 (edited) 12 hours ago, dibateg said: This is a useful reference:- The scoop pivot bar has been removed on that Collett 3000g. (Not much point in having a scoop in preserved times.) A good view, although of a Churchward 3500g front end, is here, showing how the scoop pivot bar and the brake pivot bar are separate and set at different heights: Malcolm Mitchell provided the following corroborative view when assisting with the Churchward 3500g front end design: http://www.gwr.org.uk/tenders/3500g-brake-and-scoop-wayshafts.jpg I assume the front end of the Collett 3500g would have looked the same as the Churchward 3500g, but the two surviving Collett 3500gs are cobbled together from various sources, so are to some extent unreliable sources and unauthentic. That said, I'm confused - your tender has long gussets on the outside frame, and I think those featured only on the Collett 3000g and 4000g. (The GA for the 3500g lot A118 shows shallow gussets.) More significantly, your frames have widened hornplates, which was the norm for Collett 3000g, but the Collett 3500g always had the older narrower hornplates as far as I can tell. Here's 6814 at OOC on 14 Dec 1963, with a bent rear tender footstep: Although they were commonly used on Granges, I can't remember Malcolm doing a Collett 3500g. I can't remember JLTRT doing one either, so your frame shape is a bit of a mystery. Edited June 26, 2019 by Miss Prism 1 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dibateg Posted June 26, 2019 Author Share Posted June 26, 2019 Thanks - yes I never fully trust preserved loco's... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dibateg Posted July 19, 2019 Author Share Posted July 19, 2019 This ones a Collet 4000g. I was away from home a lot in June, so not much got done, now in July there are a myriad of outside jobs to do. But the rain is back and so it's on with the Grange. I always seem to have a fight on my hands with flared tenders, but it has come right in the end. I use plumbers solder to fill in the fingers on the rounded corners. Used 145 solder to put on the axleboxes and springs, with the iron set to 200 degrees is works and it seems if the castings are of sufficient quality, they won't melt... Only two wheelsets fitted at the moment. I'm on to the loco frames - it's just an extended Manor really, so there are many similarities. I still have a large stock of Fourtrack hornblocks. Cast springs come from the SDK, so the etched ones on the frames were cut off. 4 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dibateg Posted July 26, 2019 Author Share Posted July 26, 2019 A days ( or some of it anyway! ) work sees the basic chassis work done. There are some hefty castings in the SDK and some of them need modifying to fit around the chassis stretchers. It just takes a bit of planning and work. The castings are pretty tidy in any case. That was one thing that drew me to 7mmm scale, the chunky parts for the running gear instead of flimsy etched little pieces in 4mm! The only modification I had to do was drill out and extend the spigots on the brake crank with 1.5mm rod. I wondered what the other socket on the spring casting was for - it seems to be a strengthening rod between the frames. I'm sure a GW expert will know! The good weather is keeping me away from the workbench, but I'm finding the odd hour to progress the running plate. I'm always suspicious of one piece developments, but this one folds out nicely. Then its a process of adding overlays. That's where the resistance soldering tool comes in to it's own. 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dibateg Posted July 31, 2019 Author Share Posted July 31, 2019 Moving on slowly, the cab is made up. The roof had to be cut back a little, it was looking a bit like a Swiss chalet! The boiler is plonked on. Basic cylinder assembly is in place. Some cleaning up to do... Is it a big Manor or a small Hall..? The cast equalising beams in the bogie kit didn't seem quite right, so I used the original etches from the kit, using a bearing to align them for drilling the bolts. Some square section brass was used for the spacer. I also scratched up the ATC pick up. Again - it needs cleaning up... 6 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Hilux5972 Posted August 2, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted August 2, 2019 Looks great so far Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dibateg Posted August 7, 2019 Author Share Posted August 7, 2019 Thanks Hilux - So it's on it's wheels at last. I had trouble with the saddle, it was too low by a millimetre or so, so I had to fabricate it up. So it looks like a loco now - on with all that detailing... There was some fettling to get the boiler to fit nicely. I modified the slide bar brackets, by cutting off the flanges and mounting them on the frames. That allows the distance of the slidebars from the frames is not dictated by the casting.. The drain cocks were all on brackets, so four of them had to be modified by filing all that off and butt soldering them to the wrapper. Experts will notice the relief valves are off centre, this is because the model has to negotiate four foot radius curves. The castings for the relief valve comes with a base flange, but that has to be taken off as on the real thing the valve is mounted directly on the cylinder casting and the flange is hidden by the cover. So a 2.3mm hole has to be drilled through the cover before soldering it to the cylinder assembly. 5 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dibateg Posted August 11, 2019 Author Share Posted August 11, 2019 Horrible weather today has kept me indoors and here is another picture prior to cleaning up.. Sanding gear in place, there are some nice little clevis castings in the kit. So I solder them all in place, then drill the cranks for the pins for the rods. Scratched up crank for that just to the right of the nameplate. Nice weigh shaft casting too, you can't see the return spring from here. Oil pots at the front from tube and brass wire - the tops need flattening. ATC conduit with clip made for the half etch runners on the fret. Anything missing is my lack of GW expertise. I've been staring at this one for a bit, there is something not quite right. The ejector pipe has to be parallel with the running plate, but using the moulded holes it was about 2mm too high at the front. It can't go any higher as it would be higher than the spectacle and block the washouts. There would be some significant carving to get the boiler slightly lower, but I don't think that's it. I suspect the smokebox lubricator is too high as it looks very close to the chimney, it should be much closer to the ejector pipe. So that might have to come off and I'll put a brass one on... Holding up the model against photos indicates that is the way to go. 3 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
richard i Posted August 11, 2019 Share Posted August 11, 2019 Attention to detail, it pays off in the end. To not address it would niggle you every time you looked at it. Looks great already. Richard Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dibateg Posted August 11, 2019 Author Share Posted August 11, 2019 Thanks Richard - hope you are settling in ok. Does anyone know the exact layout of the injector on the left hand side of the loco? It's not the same as the other side... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
richard i Posted August 11, 2019 Share Posted August 11, 2019 Settling. Let’s say that. I’m told there is not enough space! As for gw locos , I reckon you know far more than me so can not help there. richard Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dibateg Posted August 16, 2019 Author Share Posted August 16, 2019 (edited) I lowered the cover on the smokebox, that looks better, as does the handrail. There is still some tidying up to do which always shows up after I've posted the photo. So a few bits and pieces to fit, a bracket to allow the vac pump to be removed, brakes, whistles, reverser etc. Then she'll be ready for a track test. Edited August 16, 2019 by dibateg extra text 14 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Hilux5972 Posted August 18, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted August 18, 2019 The header cover looks much better where you have relocated it to. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post dibateg Posted September 26, 2019 Author Popular Post Share Posted September 26, 2019 34091 came back from being painted by Paul Moore and I have had this week to start fitting it out. It's always a nervy job working on a new paint job, and one has to take the utmost care to protect it. There are still lots of little details to attend to, but she is ready for a track test. and I need to change that screw! The FInney7 kit builds in to a magnificent model. 15 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scale7JB Posted October 1, 2019 Share Posted October 1, 2019 Very nice Tony, The backhead is a work of art ! JB. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dibateg Posted October 10, 2019 Author Share Posted October 10, 2019 Thanks JB Weymouth has had a couple of successful test runs on Curzon Street, slipping nicely as she pulled away from the station. Just a few minor tasks left to finish off. 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Major Posted October 10, 2019 Share Posted October 10, 2019 Magnificent. The rendition of pipework both inside and outside of the cab is second to none. Seeing Weymouth running through Curzon Street transports me back to the early '60s. Then I used to see WC and BB class locos running between Honeybourne and Evesham pulling football specials from the south to Birmingham - Saturdays Only of course. Our local signalman would always give me the nod when one was due to come through. Until the later arrival of the odd Britania they were the only Pacifics that I saw on that line. Ian. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dibateg Posted October 10, 2019 Author Share Posted October 10, 2019 Thanks Ian - Its nice to have triggered some good memories. I decided there was something odd about the cab pipework, until my client pointed out the lagged ones on the right hand side should be white ( ish ) not copper! I'd forgotten to paint them. Regards Tony 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dibateg Posted October 17, 2019 Author Share Posted October 17, 2019 A day of rounding up jobs: So another 4000 gallon tender completed, the second one for 4992 Crosby Hall.. Loco next year... I finally got the vents for the CPL Horsebox from Slaters. 5 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dibateg Posted October 23, 2019 Author Share Posted October 23, 2019 I'm starting a new project... for myself this time. I wonder what it could be... Laminated springs.. well they are not so bad. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Major Posted October 23, 2019 Share Posted October 23, 2019 Well it appears to have outside valve gear, so it isn't a Great Western 2-8-0! I look forward to more. Ian. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Hilux5972 Posted October 23, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 23, 2019 (edited) Rebuilt P2 perhaps? Or an 8F? Edited October 23, 2019 by Hilux5972 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
richard i Posted October 23, 2019 Share Posted October 23, 2019 Dub dee. The man can not resist them. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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